Apparatus for electrolyzing liquids.



E. BALKE.. APPARATUS FOR ELBCTROLYZING LIQUIDS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 24, 1912.

Patented Jan.21,1913.

a" jig/#12 much its the electrodes were fixed, and conman. BALKE, or onanno'rrnnnuae, GERMANY, ASSIGNOB T0 srnranns a; marina,

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srraisarus For annornonrzrne memos Specification of .Letters Eate'nt.

Patented ass.

Application filed-September 24, 1912 serial-m. 722,044.

To all whom. it may concern.

Be it known that I, EMIL BALKE,,a,citizen 'of the Empire of Germanymmd residing at Charlottenburg, near Berlin, Germany, have invented certainjnew and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Eleetrolyzing Liquids, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates generally to an apparatus'for electrolyzing liquids, especially aqueous solutions, and particularly to the V manufacture of chloridof lime from brine. The apparatus comprisesa'vessel or tank subdivided by partitions of non conducting material into a" number of compartments, the tank itself being composed of stoneware,-

cement ,..sandstone or similar material. In

known" forms of apparatus of this ltind the intermediate electrodes serving simultane-I ously for both poles usually either passed through the artitions or each of them formed a partition. The two last electrodes wereprovided with terminals for the inco1ningand outgoing current-leads. In such apparatus the production of the materials required involved difficulty, firstly, inaspartitions of the tank. In consequence this simple mode of attachment themost diverse changes in the apparatus can be,read1ly made, F or example, the current can be varied by mounting a larger orsmaller num-- ber of electrodes on each partition, it being possible in this manner to increase the current to double or treble its minimum value' In addition, the apparatus can be adjusted to suit the voltage prevailing for the time being in the s stem and to meeta drop of voltage in the same, such adjustments being made either byremoving one or both the terminal electrodes connected to theleads to another partition and thereby cutting one or more cells into or out rt-circuit, or by ing'from the normal changes can be made partitions have terminals 5 'to adding terminal electrodes to the middie of the apparatus, whereby-voltages difi'ervoltage b one "half can be advantageously employe Jill these in the simplest manner during working.

Bil

Several illustrative embodiments of my I invention are represented ,by Way of example in' the accompanying drawings, wherein i 7 Figures 1, 2and 3-are vertical l'ongitudi vnal section, cross-section, andtop plan view partly in section, respectively, showing an electrolytic tank,. fit ted :with' one form" 01- rod-shaped electrodes according to my iiivention'; Fig. 4is a top plan view showing a similar apparatus, but havin rod-shaped electrodes arranged in a speciafmanner, and Fig. 5 is a like view of-a tank fitted with plate-shaped electrodes; Figs: 6 and 6* are end and side elevation, respectively, showing one form of my improved rod-shaped intermediate electrodes, enlarged; Figs. 7 and 7 -are like views. respectively. showing a ,r od shaped terminal electrode of" like form; Figs. 8 and 8 and Figs. 9 and 9 are f like views, respectively, showing various forms of improved plate-shaped intermediateielectrodes; Figs. 10 and 10 are 'cross-' section and side elevation, respectively, showing another 'form of improved plate shaped intermediate electrode; and Fig. i1 is a top flan view showing how several electrolyticnta'nksmay be combined to form a single plalnt.

Referrin first to Figs. 1 to 3, an oblong,

rectangular tank or container 1 9f earthen ware or onie of the above mentioned ma-v terials is divided into a number of compartments or cells 3, 3, 3".by partitions 2 of insulating material, 0. 7. glass, which are first loosely inserted in the tank and thn cemented. On these partitions are mounted,

the electrodes 6 and, 7, each having a slot d; as clearly shown in Figs, 6, 6* and 7, 7 two electrodes being placed on each partition. The electrodes 7 on the fir t and last of these which the leads are attached. 1 g The electrolyte enters the tank through the short pipe 8 and pa'fies into he cell 3.

' Thence it flows through a small. opening 9 in the first partition2 into the next cell 3,

and from the latter into the third cell 3 by way of a second. opening 9 at the side upon by the passes,

. scribed, the combination of a tank divided by partitions lntocompartments, eaclrparot--the tank opposite the first op'ening, and so. onuntilit finally leaves t-h'e'tank through a second short pipe it).

The electrodes 6 are made of cal-b011, v graphite or the like andserveas so-called 1 bipolar intermediate electrodes, 2'. r. one i limb of each electrode is an anode in one l cell, and the other limb is cathode in the nextcell.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 4 the partitions are,- considerably Cl()SQ1: lI-O one another, and the electrodes are so placed on these partitions that when theliquid passes from one opening 9 to the others, 2'. bteween the partitions '2, itmust take a zigza course, and consequently becomes proper y mixed and ismore intensively acted' current. This example shows how the apparatus can be adjusted to suit a lower voltage. he end electrodes 7 are now placed on the last partitions but one, the end partitions 2 being unoccupied, and additional terminal electrodes 7 are placed on one of the middle ')tll.'titlOIlS so that current flows from the llllt die toward both ends of the tank.

, Fig. 5 shows an electrolytic tank having plate-like electrodes (3 and 7, of the form shown in'Figs. 8', 8. The electrode 6 shown in Figs. 8, 8 consists of a single piece of graphite or carbon, while each of the elec' trodes 6 and 0' shown in Figs. 9, 9 and 10, 10", respectively, is made of three parts, the middle part being so much shorter than the others that the slot l is formed. The middle part 12 is either formed as a wedge of dove-tail section, or it has projections 1.3 of the same form (Fig. 5)), which carry the outer plates 14, or it is connected to the latter by means of graphite screws 15 (Figs; 10, 10).

Lastly, Fig. 11 h'll()\\". a plant in which. two electrolytictanks of the type illustrated in Fig. 5 are connected in line with one another, there being arranged between them a coolin apparatust cou'iprising a vessel 17 throng '1 which the liquid from the first tank and is cooled therein by means of a like, before it passes cooling worm 18 or the tank. 1

into the second electrolytic 1. In electrolytic apparatus of the type described, the combination of a vessel divided by partitions into ct'nnpartn'ients, each parti-' tion having an opening through Which liquid to be electrolyzed can flow from one compartment to another, slotted electrodes mounted on said partitions by means of their slots, and terminals provide]; on some of the electrodes. 4

2 In electrolytic apparatus of the type dc;

tition having...an -opening through which liquid to be electrolyzed can flow from one compartment to another, a plurality of slotted electrodes mounted on each of said partitions by means of their slots, and terminals provided. on some of the electrodes.

3. In electrolytic apparatus of the scribed, the combination of a vessel by partitions into compartments, each partition havingan opening liquid to be elec'trolyzed can flow from one compartment to another, slotted electrodes mounted on said partitions by means of their type-deslots, and terminals provided on the outer.

electrodes at each end of the-vessel.

divided through which 4. In electrolytic apparatus of the type described, the combination. of a vessel divided by partitions into compartments, each partition having an opening throughwhich liquid to be electrolyzed can flow from one com,-. part-ment to another, slotted electrodes mounted on said partitions by means of their slots, and terminals provided on the outer electrodes at each end of the vessel and on one of the inner electrodes In electrolytic apparatus of the type I described, the combination of a vessel divided by partitions into c0mpart-ments,each partition having an opening through which liquid to be electrolyzed can pass from one compartment to another, a plurality of slotted electrodes-mounted on each of said partitions by means of their slots, and terminals provided on the outer electrodes at each end of the vessel and on some of the inner electrodes. f

(3. In electrolytic apparatus of thetype described, the combinationot a vessel divide by partitions into compartments, the alternate ends of the partitions having a small opening for causing liquid to to flow in opposite directions in tWo adjacent compaitinents, slotted electrodes mounted on said partitions by means of their slots, and terminals provided on some of the electrodes. i

7. In electrolytic apparatus of th type described. the combination or a vessel divide by partitions into compartments, each partition having an opening through- Which liquid to be electrolyzed can flow from one compartment to another, electrodes each consisting of three plates, the outer of which pro:

ject beyond the middle one and thereby form a slot, mounted on the partitions by means of their slots, and terminals provided on some of the electrodes.

8. In electrolytic apparatus of the type described, the combination of a plurality of vessels each divided by partitions into compartments. and provided ivith gpe mngs in the .partitions through-"Which liquid to be e-lectrolyze'd can flow from one compartment into another, slotted electrodes mounted on each partition by means of their slots, terminals mounted. on some of the electrodes,

and means connecting the vessels together.

he electrolyzedy 9. In electrolytic apparatus of the type deand a cooling device interposed between each 16 scribed, the combinatiqn of aplurality of two vessels. vessels each divided by partitions into com- In testimony whereof I have si ned my partments, and provided with openings in name to this specification in the presence the partitions through which liquid to be of two Witnesses.

electrolyzed can How from one compartment 'EMIL BALKE. to another. slotted electrodes nounted 011'] Witnesses: each partition by means of their slots, ter- WOLDEMAR HAUPT,

nunals mounted on some of the electrodes, HENRY HASPER. 

